We started serving on 28 April, with cows bulling strongly in large numbers. There are more than I would like coming through from the winter group, possibly due to embryonic loss in the early stages due to low nutrition. In hindsight, we robbed the cows due to low milk prices and slow grass growth. We stopped including brewers grains in the ration at Christmas to cheapen the cost and fed only cake and silage.

Expecting to turn out in early February, we changed the parlour ration to 1t of molassed sugar beet nuts with 3t of cake, expecting to compensate and complement the grass at turnout, which did not happen until halfway through March and then only sporadically. The AI man warned us the cows would suffer and he was right; there is always good value in a pair of off-farm eyes.

Loyalty

I met the new chief executive of First Milk (FM), Mike Gallagher, this week. He appears to be doing a good job but I expressed concerns to him that any move to recruit “milk tarts” would challenge the loyalty of existing members, a loyalty which has carried him and FM through its darkest hour. I am also concerned those supplying FM on a liquid contract in the midlands are being penalised for excess butterfat, having spent my life breeding a herd of cows to produce 5% butterfat.

A risky approach to Brexit

Recently in our local manshed, the landlord, who is a curmudgeonly sod with an incredible memory, on overhearing us discussing milk prices rose up from behind the bar. “Collingborn,” he stormed, “ I remember you in here on Vesting Day shouting, ‘Now we will twist their tails’. Seems to me they have been twisting your tails ever since!”

He also said: “If you want to stay in the EU, vote ‘out’ – the EU will not want us to leave, so Dave can negotiate better terms.” A risky strategy, I would think.

Because of a shortage of grass growth up until now, cows have been going into some covers too soon but this must be much higher quality grass as it can put the milk up 2 litres per cow a day – it is not quantity, it is quality. I am using this fact to try and persuade my son in law who wants a robot as opposed to our potential new manual parlour. That this is cheap milk at 2p per litre from grass against milk at 6p per litre from concentrates and 8-10p per litre for milk from concentrates and silage.

This month temperatures have risen and grass growth appears to have suddenly taken off. It is two months too late, but thank heavens it is here.

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Read more from UK farm writer Joe Collingborn